Karachi, November 2: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Shazia Marri has said that the Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment is deeply cherished by Pakistan’s provinces and that no compromise on it will ever be acceptable. Speaking during an interview on Geo News program Geo Pakistan, she emphasized that the amendment represents the spirit of provincial autonomy and federal harmony, which are the foundation stones of Pakistan’s democratic structure.
Government Seeks Support for 27th Amendment
Marri confirmed that the federal government has formally reached out to the PPP regarding the proposed Twenty-Seventh Constitutional Amendment, seeking the party’s backing. “There has been speculation about the 27th Amendment for some time, but now the government has officially contacted us to seek our support,” she said.
According to her, the proposal will be presented before the PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), where the party’s leadership will deliberate on the matter before taking a final stance. “The CEC is the right forum to discuss constitutional amendments, and whatever decision is made will be collective and in accordance with the party’s principles,” she added.
Eighteenth Amendment: A Symbol of Provincial Empowerment
Highlighting the significance of the 18th Amendment, which was passed in 2010, Shazia Marri noted that it restored the original parliamentary balance of the Constitution, strengthened democracy, and granted greater autonomy and financial independence to the provinces. “The Eighteenth Amendment is close to the hearts of the provinces. It is not merely a piece of legislation—it is a symbol of trust and empowerment that binds the federation together,” she remarked.
She made it clear that any attempt to roll back or weaken provincial powers under the 18th Amendment would face firm resistance. “The Pakistan People’s Party will never allow a reversal of the devolution process. It would neither be appropriate nor even possible to undo what has been achieved through national consensus,” Marri asserted.
